Returning to the same ports multiple times?

[Interestedcruisefan]

Currently I have this theory that there's always something new to find/explore or a new activity to try when you visit a port you've visited before. No matter how many times you visit 

 

And to be fair there needs to be if you cruise a lot! As if you keep looking for new locations only then its going to get either very hard or very expensive to achieve the more you cruise?

 

Alongside that there are ALSO some things you love to do/visit so much in some places that you are happy to go to the same thing in the same place multiple times

 

For me the standout one is 

 

Barcelona - where I love  to eat freshly cooked fish at a stall inside La Boqueria Food Market, then head up the Ramblas a short way for a cocktail in the incredible Boadas Cocktail Bar, followed by a visit to go and marvel and stare once again at La Sagrada Familia and see the progress being made there. I can't think of anything I could do better in Barcelona and would just repeat every year at least once if I could.

 

(I've  travelled there many times taking clients to football matches rather than on cruises which ive only done once as it happens)

 

So I guess I have 2 questions for everyone:

 

One) Can you find enough alternative things to do when visiting the same port multiple times?

 

Or

 

Two) Do you have favourite ports and things you would repeat every time you visit no matter how many times you visit?

 

 

Edited April 10, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[jeanlyon]

We have a few ports we are happy to go to, have a wander, a light lunch, just take in the atmosphere.  We do mainly like to try to see new places.  One of the reasons I have booked Fred Olsen for 2024.  St Malo, Brest, Madeira, 2 ports in the Azores and Oporto.  Makes a change.

 

This year on Aurora, they have already substituted, Rhodes with Messina which I am not happy about, having never been to Rhodes.

[davecttr]

One, yes but for me it depends on the weather and how I feel on the day. On Arvia we have 2 days at Barcelona so I will invest in a hop on bus pass. If I can identify where exactly the tourist office is at the bottom of Ramblas. I toured La Sagrada Familia years ago so will stop over there again. The red route takes in the spanish village and Olympic park with good views so I will try that again. I enjoyed that market but in my case I was chomping my way through the sausage samples so another visit is called for. I have visited La Coruna several times but have yet another route for my walk ashore. My other visit to Valencia was spent in pursuing Tapas bars so this time I will do the cultural bits. First time in Marseilles for me so I hope we make it and being a Sunday might not help. Cadiz is a frequent stop and having exhausted the excursions i will take my usual walk, in reverse order this time.

 

I increasingly like staying aboard the ship for a relaxing day as well

[zap99]

1 minute ago, jeanlyon said:

We have a few ports we are happy to go to, have a wander, a light lunch, just take in the atmosphere.  We do mainly like to try to see new places.  One of the reasons I have booked Fred Olsen for 2024.  St Malo, Brest, Madeira, 2 ports in the Azores and Oporto.  Makes a change.

 

This year on Aurora, they have already substituted, Rhodes with Messina which I am not happy about, having never been to Rhodes.

Jean. Our Azura cruise goes to Rhodes next week. Lovely place. We have been there a couple of times on previous cruises and have holidayed there. Stunningly beautiful......just saying😉

[jeanlyon]

Well let's hope you get there!  I can't imagine why they would change it 9 months before the cruise.

[Host Sharon]

I would be very happy not to visit Lisbon or Vigo ever again and now stay on board in those ports. One reason I am increasingly booking other lines is to discover new ports - Oceania to go to Nantes, Gijon and St Malo, Saga for Toulon, Savona, Calvi, Elba and Siracuse and Fred Olsen for Propriano, Olbia, Sorrento and Salerno. 

[davecttr]

18 minutes ago, davecttr said:

One, yes but for me it depends on the weather and how I feel on the day. On Arvia we have 2 days at Barcelona so I will invest in a hop on bus pass. If I can identify where exactly the tourist office is at the bottom of Ramblas. I toured La Sagrada Familia years ago so will stop over there again. The red route takes in the spanish village and Olympic park with good views so I will try that again. I enjoyed that market but in my case I was chomping my way through the sausage samples so another visit is called for. I have visited La Coruna several times but have yet another route for my walk ashore. My other visit to Valencia was spent in pursuing Tapas bars so this time I will do the cultural bits. First time in Marseilles for me so I hope we make it and being a Sunday might not help. Cadiz is a frequent stop and having exhausted the excursions i will take my usual walk, in reverse order this time.

 

I increasingly like staying aboard the ship for a relaxing day as well

Found the tourist office, a little hut near the bus stop, boogle dearth is a wonderful resource.

[terrierjohn]

We don't mind visiting the same ports, as wheelchair users we have done most of the accessible shore excursions, and now just prefer to have a casual stroll, hopefully along a level promenade, and then a coffee or beer, depending on the weather, at a sidewalk cafe, and then spend the rest of the day relaxing on board.

But I accept that will not suit everyone.

[Son of Anarchy]

1 hour ago, Host Sharon said:

I would be very happy not to visit Lisbon or Vigo ever again and now stay on board in those ports. One reason I am increasingly booking other lines is to discover new ports - Oceania to go to Nantes, Gijon and St Malo, Saga for Toulon, Savona, Calvi, Elba and Siracuse and Fred Olsen for Propriano, Olbia, Sorrento and Salerno. 

Quite happy to miss Lisbon and Vigo as well.  Luckily, we've missed those ports due to weather or strike action, and claimed on our holiday insurance.  Keenly priced cruises, and getting paid to not go somewhere we weren't bothered about - Result!

[Interestedcruisefan]

4 minutes ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Quite happy to miss Lisbon and Vigo as well.  Luckily, we've missed those ports due to weather or strike action, and claimed on our holiday insurance.  Keenly priced cruises, and getting paid to not go somewhere we weren't bothered about - Result!

Never been to Lisbon. But a friend of mind said it's great for foodie options?

 

So was looking forward to visiting one day?

Edited April 10, 2023 by Interestedcruisefan

[Son of Anarchy]

Always enjoy going back to La Coruna and Cadiz.  Just wander about, have a couple of drinks.  Back in December we did the transfer from Cadiz to Seville.  Lots of OBC to spend, and never been to Seville before.  Might go there again later this month, see how the OBC is going once on board.  Barcelona again this month as well, an overnight stay this time though.  Booked to go to a flamenco show in the evening.  Same venue that P & O use, but almost £25 pp cheaper doing it independantly.

[d9704011]

2 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Never been to Lisbon. But a friend of mind said it's great for foodie options?

 

So was looking forward to visiting one day?

Lisbon is nice to visit.  Apparently, there are others who don't share that opinion.

[wowzz]

We were in Gib yesterday.

Stayed on board by the adult pool, enjoying the sunshine. Had no desire to get off the ship.

[yorkshirephil]

Some ports are just nice to mooch around, for whatever reason, not really much different to having a drive into a local town, some places you never get fed up with. We have been to Lisbon 11 times and we now jump on the train and go somewhere fairly local weather allowing. It is always nice to go to new places but sometimes the new places are not as nice as the old ones. We are on the same cruise as Jean in October and are disappointed that Rhodes has been swapped to Messina, however we have never been to Messina but have been to Rhodes many times and always enjoyed it.

[Son of Anarchy]

4 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Never been to Lisbon. But a friend of mind said it's great for foodie options?

 

So was looking forward to visiting one day?

We first went to Lisbon nearly 15 years ago and have lost count of how many times we've been since.

 

Done Tram 28 3 times. Been to the castle, had a look inside the Elevator (too mean to pay and queue up to ride in it!).  It's nice to sit around and have a couple of beers.  An interesting city if you've never been there before.

[Son of Anarchy]

Just remembered, years ago we were on Aurora and went to Venice.

 

Club dining, late sitting, sharing a table for 8.  Conversation turned to what everyone did earlier that day in Venice.  One couple stayed on board and did their washing!  They were very frequent cruisers and had been to Venice several times before.  Weather was a bit grotty that day as well.

[Angel57]

38 minutes ago, Interestedcruisefan said:

Never been to Lisbon. But a friend of mind said it's great for foodie options?

 

So was looking forward to visiting one day?

It is a lovely place to visit if you have never been before.
Obidos (1hr away) is rather pleasant if you’ve “done” Lisbon. I especially like sampling the cherry brandy in chocolate cups whilst there!

[zap99]

6 minutes ago, Angel57 said:

It is a lovely place to visit if you have never been before.
Obidos (1hr away) is rather pleasant if you’ve “done” Lisbon. I especially like sampling the cherry brandy in chocolate cups whilst there!

I think that the place we're we sat outside Burger King to get free WiFi back in the day. .......Shall we go up to that London over the weekend dear..........no..we went there a few years ago.

[jeanlyon]

Would much rather go to Lisbon than La Corunna.  Been there so many times  And Cadiz.  

[Snibs]

Civitavecchia and Livorno for Rome and Florence as plenty to see / re-see (like Barcelona). Downside being the travel to and from.

Mind if doing it yourself it adds a bit of additional adrenaline to the day!

 

[showingdiva]

As a certified ship geek, I could never tire of Rotterdam.

[Host Sharon]

2 hours ago, d9704011 said:

Lisbon is nice to visit.  Apparently, there are others who don't share that opinion.

I agree, Lisbon is very nice to visit but after 14 calls there .....  Also the new cruise terminal is extremely disability unfriendly and involves a very long walk to get out to the street or coaches.

[Host Sharon]

2 hours ago, Angel57 said:

It is a lovely place to visit if you have never been before.
Obidos (1hr away) is rather pleasant if you’ve “done” Lisbon. I especially like sampling the cherry brandy in chocolate cups whilst there!

Obidos is lovely, especially at Xmas. So are Sintra, Cascais, Setubal, Guincho and Fatima.

[Jennizor]

2 hours ago, Son of Anarchy said:

Always enjoy going back to La Coruna and Cadiz.  Just wander about, have a couple of drinks.  Back in December we did the transfer from Cadiz to Seville.  Lots of OBC to spend, and never been to Seville before.  Might go there again later this month, see how the OBC is going once on board.  Barcelona again this month as well, an overnight stay this time though.  Booked to go to a flamenco show in the evening.  Same venue that P & O use, but almost £25 pp cheaper doing it independantly.

We went to Seville from Cadiz on our Iona Feb/March cruise. I have never been to such a beautiful city. It was a 2 and a half hour journey but well worth it. We are now thinking about having a few days there later in the year.

 

Sorry about the picture below, it just appeared and I can’t get rid of it!

[daiB]

We agree that going to the same ports is a good thing. We are building up a list of eating places, particularly Tapas bars in all the ports we go to, well Spanish ones. As far as Lisbon is concerned we  love our time there and gave just found the Time Out market opposite the station for Cascais. We also have a few places we like to eat. Lisbon has improved dramatically in the past few years especially the area between the ships berth and the Black Horse square.